Music Hath Charms
by theicemenace
Summary: Just a few fics to keep the insanity going. WARNING: Spoilers for Age of Ultron.
1. Friends in Low Places

**A/N:** This fic was inspired by something I read on Pinterest. (Don't judge! LOL) The song mentioned was much different, _Love is an Open Door_ from _Frozen_. But after the events of Age of Ultron, SPOILER ALERT, I decided to go with something else.

This may turn into an on-going thing, depending on the response. I won't site page, paragraph and section of the _Fic Writers Handbook_.

Many thanks to ladygris and Lady Pandora for their Beta services.

Namaste,

Sunny

 **Avengers**

 **Music Hath Charms**

 **Friends in Low Places**

Spring had arrived, but no one could tell due to the patches of snow on the ground. Clint Barton didn't like the cold weather, but he endured as they all did. You did what you had to do. Adversity had a way of building character. At least that's what he told himself as he buttoned the front of his longcoat.

The Avengers were on another of their raids of HYDRA hideouts in search of Loki's scepter. Massive amounts of intel had come through had come through regular and back channels over the months since HYRDA's abortive plan for world domination. Some had panned out, others had fizzled and died.

Down on one knee, bow in his right hand and quiver on his back, Clint exhaled long and loud. The team had been in place around a hidden bunker for what seemed like hours. What they were waiting for, he didn't know. He just wanted to get this over with so he could go home. Maybe get that remodeling job started. The moment he saw it, he knew the house was perfect. With a few upgrades, it would be even more perfect.

To combat boredom, Clint started a mental list of supplies he'd need from the hardware store in town. Of course, he'd have to get the pick-up running first. And to do that, he needed parts… from town. _Crap! I'll just take a quinjet. But how to hide it?_

Shaking his head, Clint realized he'd returned to his roots. After the circus and before the Avengers, he'd made his living as a contractor. Then Laura came into his life. They got married, bought a farm in Columbus, Washington, and started a family.

He missed his wife and kids so much he physically ached. They were his world. But these raids were important to the entire planet. HYDRA had to be stopped before they destroyed, well, the world. And that's why he was here instead of at home-so his kids could be safe. He was so lucky to have a loving wife who supported his "avenging".

The last thing he'd done for the kids was sing them to sleep after their nightly story. He didn't think he was much of a singer, but the kids liked it, and that's what counted. Then Cap's call in the middle of the night had sent him running. He gave Laura quick kiss, and made her promise to hug the kids for him in the morning.

Clint had never cared for country music, but Cooper and Lila loved it, especially Garth Brooks. Unconsciously, he hummed a tune, until Cap's voice came through his headset.

" _Keep it down, Barton. This is a_ _covert_ _mission. Stealth is key_."

He sounded pissed, but then he always sounded that way on these ops. "Yeah, well, I'm bored hangin' out in the woods with no one to talk to. When're we going to stop stealthing and start attacking?"

" _Was kinda wondering that myself, Cap_ ," Stark interrupted from the cloaked quinjet.

" _And I_ ," Thor's deep voice joined the conversation. " _Jane was not happy that I'd been called away during our first holiday travel together. She has sent numerous messages wishing to know when I will return._ "

Another voice was added: Banner's. " _Do I_ _really_ _have to be here? Doesn't look like we'll need a Code Green for this one_."

Apparently, Cap had had enough. " _Covert means_ _concealed_ _or_ _secret_ _, so cut the chatter, people_."

Natasha made a derisive snort. " _I didn't say a word, Cap_."

" _I'd like to point out that neither did I_ ," Sam Wilson put in from his hiding place directly opposite Clint's.

The archer ignored the voices in his ear as best he could. To combat the gloom at being apart from his family, he began to sing.

"Blame it all on my roots, I showed up in boots and ruined your black tie affair."

" _I've been meaning to talk to you about that,_ " Stark interrupted. " _The ambassador from Madripoor was_ _really_ _pissed at you the other night._ "

Clint ignored him and kept singing, "The last one to know, the last one to show. I was the last one you thought you'd see there."

Natasha snorted a laugh. " _That's_ _why you never get invited anywhere. You're never on time, and dressed inappropriately for the occasion._ "

"And I saw the surprise and the fear in his eyes, when I took his glass of champagne."

" _That's_ _why the ambassador was pissed_."

"I toasted you, said, 'Honey, we may be through, but you'll never hear me complain.'"

" _Who you callin' honey, Barton_?" Wilson protested, but with an element of humor.

"'Cause I've got friends in low places where the whiskey drowns, and the beer chases my blues away and I'll be okay. I'm not big on social graces…"

Thor laughed. " _I_ _have_ _noticed this about you, Friend Hawkeye_."

In spite of the interruptions, Clint kept going. "Think I'll slip on down to the oasis…"

Now Thor was intrigued. " _Oasis_? _Ah, a drinking establishment! I and the others will join you_!"

"Oh, I've got friends in lo-o-o-ow places."

Banner had to let his opinion known as well, " _Speak for yourself, Thor. I have a date with my pillow when this op is over_."

" _Me too_ ," Natasha added, her voice sounding just a little weary.

Trying not to laugh, Clint kept going. "Well, I guess I was wrong, I just don't belong. But then, I've been there before."

Laugher from Natasha, " _That's true, Hawkeye! Remember Budapest_?"

"Everything's all right, I'll just say goodnight, and I'll show myself to the do-o-or."

Cap's voice overrode them all. " _Okay, team. Let's get ready to hit 'em where they live. Find a perch, Hawkeye. We'll go on your mark_."

Getting to his feet, Clint headed for the vantage point he'd chosen where he could look out over the entire valley. "Hey, I didn't mean to cause a big scene…"

Again, Natasha laughed. " _You_ _always_ _cause a scene._ " 

Clint slung the bow over his head and jumped up to grab the lowest branch of a tree, still singing, "Just give me an hour and then…"

" _Sooner rather than later, Barton!_ " Cap growled in Clint's ear.

"Well I'll be as high as that ivory tower that you're livin' in."

" _How many times do I have to tell you, Legolas_? _It's_ _not_ _an ivory tower_ ," Stark broke in. Metallic sounds in the background told Clint the billionaire was getting into the suit.

"'Cause I've got friends in low places where the whiskey drowns…"

Stark again, " _Hey_! _N_ _ow_ _you're talkin'_!"

Almost to the top, Clint grinned into the next line of the song, "And the beer chases my blues away, and I'll be okay." 

" _I don't want to tell you how to ruin your liver, Barton, but whiskey's better for drowning your sorrows than beer. I'll take a 35-year old single malt. Any will do. I'm not particular._ "

"I'm not big on social graces, think I'll slip on down to the oasis."

" _Thor, you and I'll enter through the underground access_ ," Cap's voice was no nonsense as he attempted to restore order and bring everyone back on track.

Clint reached his destination at the top of an old tree that had lost its leaves some time ago, and they'd never grown back. "Oh, I've got friends in low places."

Pausing when no one made a smartass remark, Clint kept going, and was surprised when the rest of the team joined in, including their esteemed leader. His humor was completely restored when he thought about what the public would say if they knew Captain America had been singing a drinking song.

 _I've got friends in low places where the whiskey drowns_

 _And the beer chases my blues away and I'll be okay  
I'm not big on social graces, think I'll slip on down to the oasis  
Oh, I've got friends in low places_

 **Fini**

 **A/N:** _Friends in Low Places_ was written in 1989 by songwriters Dewayne Blackwell and Earl Bud Lee and is performed by American country music artist Garth Brooks.


	2. My Way

**A/N:** Many thanks to ladygris and Lady Pandora for being sounding boards, Betas and such wonderful friends.

To help keep everything straight, all of Hawkeye's "dialogue" is in **bold**.

Namaste,

Sunny

 **Avengers**

 **Music Hath Charms**

 **My Way**

 **My Way**

Hunkered down in the hollow beneath a tree, Steve Rogers gave his team a mental pat on the back for their performance in the drill so far. The new additions were getting along well with the originals, though it would take a little more time for everyone to be well versed in each other's strengths and weaknesses. "Stay sharp, people. It's almost over."

In his headset, Steve heard humming that turned into singing before he could put a stop to it. Barton again.

" _ **And now, the end is near, and so I face the final curtain**_ _._ "

Tony made a derisive sound. " _Is this going to be a_ _thing_ _from now on, Barton?_ "

The archer ignored Tony's smarta** remark as he always did. " _ **My friend, I'll say it clear, I'll state my case, of which I'm certain.**_ "

" _I must learn to_ _sing_ _to be an Avenger? This is did not know,_ " a confused Wanda inquired.

" _ **I've lived a life that's full, I've traveled each and every highway**_ **…** "

A deep throated chuckle came before Thor's comment. " _Then you must have interesting stories to tell, my friend._ "

The leather of Barton's suit creaked as he changed position. " _ **But more, much more than this, I did it my way.**_ "

" _You always do, Hawkeye_ ," countered Natasha's humor filled voice.

Mentally rolling his eyes, Steve interrupted, "That's my point, Romanoff."

Unfortunately, Barton didn't take the hint, and kept going. " _ **Regrets, I've had a few, but then again, too few to mention.**_ "

" _Only a_ _few_ _?_ " Wilson interjected.

Though none could see, Steve knew that Barton was flipping them off. " _ **I did what I had to do, and saw it through without exemption**_ **.** "

Banner joined the conversation, sticking up for his teammate. " _He's got us there, Cap_."

Once again, Steve attempted to bring order. "Can we _please_ focus on the drill?"

" _ **I planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway.**_ "

Natasha snickered. " _He lies!_ "

Vision seldom spoke during their practices except to make an observation or an inquiry. " _Then you are unlike any human I've met, Hawkeye_."

" _ **And more, much more than this, I did it my way**_ **.** "

" _What other way would you do it?_ " Again, Wanda was confused. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that she'd had little contact with Americans before the Ultron incident, not realizing that Barton was speaking metaphorically. At least Steve hoped so. He heard Barton take a deep breath that signaled more of the same.

" _ **Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew when I bit off more than I could chew.**_ "

" _One word: Manhattan_ ," was Natasha's comment. And Steve again admitted-silently-she had a point.

" _ **But through it all, when there was doubt, I ate it up and spit it out**_ **.** "

" _Ew gross! As my daughter would say_." It was the first comment not of a business nature that Scott Lang, Ant-Man, had made since the drill started. " _You guys have weird drills. Do you sing during battle too?_ "

" _ **I faced it all and I stood tall…**_ "

Metallic sounds indicated that Tony was making adjustments to the suit. " _Sure about that, are you? 'Cause you come up a little_ _short_ _in that department, Barton._ "

"… _ **and did it my way**_ **.** "

" _Watch who you're callin'_ _short_ _, Stark_ ," Lang said it with humor, as befitted a situation that was once again getting out of Steve's control.

" _ **I've**_ _ **loved, I've laughed and cried, I've had my fill, my share of losing**_ **.** "

Rhodes, in his War Machine suit, put in, " _Just last night, as I recall_."

" _ **And now, as tears subside**_ **…** "

" _He did cry like a little girl when he lost, Rhodey_ ," Tony added.

" _ **I find it all so amusing**_ **.** "

" _Ready for the Code Green, Cap?_ "

Steve applauded Bruce's attempt at getting them back on track, though he doubted it would do any good. "Stand by, Banner."

" _ **To think I did all that, and may I say - not in a shy way…**_ "

Everyone laughed, and Steve had to admit that, knowing Barton's personality, it was a hilarious statement, prompting him to say, "You, shy? Gonna go with _no_ on that one."

" _ **Oh no, oh no, not me. I did it my way**_ **.** "

Again, Lang interrupted. " _Is this how all Avengers' drills go down? 'Cause I have to admit, I'm havin' fun!_ "

To set Lang's mind at ease, Steve responded with, "Not really. Though with Barton, you never know."

Again, Steve heard a strong inhale, the build-up for the big finish. Hopefully.

" _ **For what is a man, what has he got? If not himself, then he has naught**_ **.** "

" _Who else would you be?_ " Once more, Vision was confused by human behavior. Especially this human.

" _ **To**_ _ **say the things he truly feels, and not the words of one who kneels…**_ "

Another snort from Lang came through loud and clear. " _Kneeling's_ _not really my style, Barton_."

" _ **The record shows I took the blows…**_ "

" _Indeed we all have on occasion, Hawkeye_." Thor again.

" _ **And did it my way. Yes, it was my-y-y-y wa-a-a-ay!**_ "

Now that Barton had finished, maybe they could concentrate, finish up and go home. "Time to do it _my_ way, Avengers. On my mark…"

 **End**

 _My Way_ is a song popularized by Frank Sinatra. Its lyrics were written by Paul Anka and set to music based on the French song _Comme d'habitude_ composed in 1967 by Claude François and Jacques Revaux. Anka's English lyrics are unrelated to the original French song.


End file.
